Silvy: Caleb Williams’ preseason debut brings hope to Bears fans

Eighteen snaps for number 18 and I had the tingles. That’s all it took. Sorry, I’m not sorry.

For some reason, the term “baby steps” has turned into a negative when we measure progress in sports today. For instance, we as fans are supposed to check ourselves when Caleb Williams shows promise in his two series against Buffalo.

“It’s JUST the preseason,” some say.

“It’s just baby steps in the grand scheme of his development, so tap the brakes,” the trolls yell.

Yet, check my phone, and you’ll see the biggest celebration my wife and I had was when our kids started to walk. Those baby steps go a long way.

Our videos were accompanied by us yelling and cheering as my sons Mason and Braxton took their first steps. This didn’t mean they’d win a grammar school track meet or make travel teams in different sports.

Taking baby steps didn’t mean my kids would make the honor roll in high school or get into the college of their choice. Yet, it was an important developmental step and we celebrated.

Also in that phone, we have pictures and cards to commemorate when the boys smiled, rolled over for the first time, and spoke their first words.

No, Williams isn’t my child, but in the words of Terrell Owens, “That’s my quarterback, man!”

And in this town, it’s pretty close. It took 42 years for me to be a dad, but I’ve waited even longer for my first true superstar Bears QB.

I’m tired of the Packers’ QB being our Daddy.

Throughout this offseason, Bears GM Ryan Poles has repeated the phrase “we can’t skip steps” in evaluating and developing a quarterback. So appreciate every step the Bears and Williams take in this quest to become great.

The trade to acquire the No. 1 overall pick from the Panthers didn’t result in the playoffs yet. But we applauded the move. We cheered when Poles managed to draft Williams and Rome Odunze. And we should appreciate another mile marker along the journey to developing a franchise quarterback.

So just because it was just two series from Williams, in one quarter, resulting in two field goals, it doesn’t mean we can’t be thrilled with what we saw.

If you’ve followed Williams’ career at Oklahoma and USC and knew the scouting report, you’re probably not all that surprised with what you saw. This is the reason why you wanted the Bears to take Williams in the first place. It’s still great to get those feelings confirmed on an NFL field, even in the preseason.

We’ve had our share of losses the last few years, so go ahead and enjoy the small stuff.

It’s third-and-12 on the first series and in the past, the Bears quarterback or offensive coordinator would settle for a gain of six and be okay with punting. Instead, Williams hung in the pocket, quickly processed his options and fired a dime to DJ Moore for a first down. The very next play showcases a hocus-pocus hook-shot pass to D’Andre Swift for 42 yards. I quickly yelled “What was that?!” and “Show me the replay!” The Bears drive was off and running and the Caleb era was no longer just hype, it brought actual hope.

The only regret I had was Matt Eberflus not allowing Williams and the Bears offense to try to convert fourth-and-4 from the Buffalo 12. Teams work all offseason to simulate real football scenarios in camp. This was not a simulation. It was a chance to practice a gotta-have it fourth-down inside the opponent’s red zone on the road. Instead, Eberflus took the chip-shot field goal. Maybe he wanted the rookie to come away with points to build his confidence, but I doubt Williams’ confidence would’ve been shaken if the Bears offense failed.

And that’s what I’ve appreciated most from Williams with my short experience covering the new Bears QB – his poise and knowledge. Both Jay Cutler and Justin Fields were extremely smart, but something happened to them when they stepped on the field. Both could diagram it, but would they diagnose it pre-snap once the game started? Williams seems to have that understanding of how the film work blends into the fieldwork.

I’ve never been an enjoy the ride guy. There’s nothing fun about traffic. There’s nothing fun about bumps in the road. There’s nothing fun hearing the kids ask if we’re there yet for the 10th time. So I’ll never give you that cliche. But we all enjoy progress in our lives. Enjoy what you see from your Bears quarterback, no matter when and where it happens. Shake off past heartbreaks and applaud the steps, no matter how small you perceive them to be.

Now let’s hope Matt Eberflus and the Bears allow the starters to continue to progress in the third preseason game. This team cannot afford to take a game off. Let them play. This is a young team with a new offense, led by a rookie quarterback, and has an offensive line that needs to build chemistry. Even if the Bengals don’t play their starters, it’s no excuse for the Bears not to play theirs.

As Poles would say, do not skip steps.

• Marc Silverman shares his opinions on the Bears weekly for Shaw Local. Tune in and listen to the “Waddle & Silvy” show weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m. on ESPN 1000.